From February 13 to 17, 2023, the Drohobych University team, together with the partners implementing the Erasmus+ KA2 “UKROTHE” international project had training in occupational therapy under the Train-the-trainer week program at Porto Polytechnic Institute (Portugal). Other participants in the training were our partners from the Khmelnytskyi National University, the Dnipro State Academy of Physical Culture and Sports, the “Modrychi” Rehabilitation Center, the “CARITAS” Charitable Fund of the Sambir-Drohobych Diocese of the UGCC, as well as the European project coordinators – Sharon Schillewaert (VIVES University of Applied Sciences, Belgium ), Anne-Marie Denolf with a team of teachers (VIVES University College (Brugge, Belgium).
The training was led by Professor Joaquim Faias of the Porto Polytechnic Institute, head of the educational program in occupational therapy and specialist in occupational therapy in pediatrics.
During a visit to the psychiatric department at S. João Hospital each training participant gained new knowledge and invaluable practical experience in occupational therapy (acute conditions), working on educational cases in gerontology, sensory problems and clinical observations based on the theory of sensory integration, mental health research and participating in a webinar on lifestyle redesign. Extremely interesting and useful for the formation of an occupational therapist’s professional skills was the training on making orthoses for the upper limb and participation in a practical session on the application of sensory integration in different conditions and contexts, which was skillfully and at a high professional level conducted by Professor Joaquim Faias.
We also studied the use of simulation in occupational therapist training, the issue of mutual evaluation and evaluation of students. We had the opportunity to work on ECTS files from the educational components of the bachelor’s educational program in occupational therapy.
The week of occupational therapy training for all its participants was undoubtedly useful and effective, for which we express our sincere thanks to the European project coordinators, training organizers, teachers at the Polytechnic Institute in Porto and VIVES University College and representatives of other organizations involved in the training.
At a working meeting with the management of Porto Polytechnic Institute the head of the delegation, Vice-rector for international relations Ihor Hrynyk discussed the prospects for the participation of Drohobych University students and teachers in international academic mobility under the Erasmus+ program and organizing joint scientific activities.
